


what it means to me

by two_hundred_degrees



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF
Genre: Engagement, Friendship, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Rings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 23:40:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19451878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/two_hundred_degrees/pseuds/two_hundred_degrees
Summary: Joe shops for engagement rings so he can propose to Rami. Sami ends up helping him out and providing some moral support.





	what it means to me

**Author's Note:**

> I have a chatfic similar to this but I really liked the idea of Sami helping Joe with his proposal and ring shopping, so I'm trying out a non-chat fic. let me know what you think!

Joe wakes up early one Saturday morning. Rami is still sleeping and Joe knows Rami will sleep until late in the afternoon. He gives him a kiss on the forehead before he slips out of bed. Rami murmurs something and turns over, burrowing into the warm sheets Joe left behind.

He’s tempted for a second or two to slip back into bed and curl around Rami. Maybe to wake him up with some sweet kisses. To have some nice, slow morning sex. 

But he has a plan for today. It’s a plan he doesn’t want to put off any longer.

It’s still a struggle to force himself out the door and into the car. Especially with Rami all warm and sleepy up in bed. 

Joe drives downtown and finds a parking spot before sending a text to Sami. _Arrived. You here yet?_

He leans against his car waiting for Sami’s reply. It look him ages to convince Sami to meet up with him, and even longer to convince Sami to keep it a secret from Rami. The only time they could do this was when Joe and Rami were visiting LA. He wouldn’t make Sami come all the way to New York.

“Did we have to meet so early?” Sami asks, strolling up to Joe’s car.

“Yes,” Joe says, pulling him into a quick hug. “You know I wouldn’t be able to sneak out if Rami was awake.”

“I guess you’re right,” Sami says, amused. “You sure you need me here for this?”

Joe frowns at him. “Yeah, I want your opinion.”

Joe’s planning on proposing to Rami soon. He’s known he’s wanted to marry Rami for ages, but he’s stalled on actually buying a ring. He’s worried Rami won’t say yes. He’s worried he won’t be able to pick out a good ring. He’s worried about a lot of things.

Sami is here as backup. Joe wants his advice because he needs a second opinion and no one knows Rami better than Sami.

“You know I won’t be much help,” Sami says.

Joe shrugs and claps Sami on the back. “Don’t care. I need someone else here for moral support.”

The moral support ends up being necessary. Joe drags Sami into multiple stores because Joe can’t decide.

“They all look the same,” Sami says.

“They’re not the same,” Joe says.

Sami squints at the bands on display in the case. “They’re all plain gold bands.”

“Well, yeah, these are,” Joe says, pointing at the ones he’s looking at. He points at some of the others. “Those are different.”

The other bands are more glitzy. Some have small diamonds encrusted in the gold, some have other jewels around the band. 

“I hope you’re not getting any of those,” Sami says. “Rami will say no if you give him that.”

“I know him well enough to know that,” Joe replies.

Joe doesn't like any of those rings anyway. He knows Rami’s not one for big displays and he’d never wear a wedding ring that was so overstated. He wants something simple. 

“Just pick one of these,” Sami says, gesturing to the plain gold bands. “They’re nice. He’ll like them.”

Joe already knows which one he wants. It’s the more expensive of the bunch. The gold is top quality. But he hesitates on buying it.

“What if he doesn’t want to get married?” Joe asks.

Sami sighs. They’ve had this talk before. Sami’s convinced Rami does want to marry Joe. Joe is convinced Rami might say no.

“Do you need me to tell you how many times he’s talked about spending the rest of his life with you?” Sami says.

“Maybe,” Joe says.

“He’s stupidly in love with you,” Sami replies. “He’d go to the ends of the earth for you. You ask him to marry you and I guarantee he’ll say yes. He doesn’t stop talking about you.”

“Okay,” Joe says. He knew bringing Sami along for moral support was a good decision.

He ends up buying the ring he was considering in the first place. He feels something nervous and excited fluttering around inside him when the jewelry store clerk boxes up the ring and places it in the bag. Joe doesn’t even cringe when he pays the outrageous price. He just hands over his credit card. He doesn’t realize there’s a big, dumb smile on his face until Sami comments on it.

“You know how you’ll propose yet?” Sami asks.

“No,” Joe says. “I’ll figure it out.”

“Don’t expect me to help you with that,” Sami says. “That one is all on you.”

Joe sends him a pleading look. Sami shakes his head. 

“Fine,” Joe sighs. “I guess I can handle that without your advice.”

When he gets home, Rami is awake and busy reading something on his computer. He kisses Joe hello happily.

“Where were you?” he asks.

“Nowhere,” Joe says. “Just running errands.”

“With my brother?”

Joe tries his best not to panic. “No?”

Rami narrows his eyes. “Sami texted that you were hanging out. He told me to go easy on you. What’s that about?”

Joe takes a moment to curse Sami. This must be payback for making him get up so early to help Joe out. He should have known better than to think Sami would keep this a total secret from Rami.

“We, uh, got brunch?”

Rami doesn’t look convinced. “Okay? Well, come sit down and tell me about it.”

“Got to run to the bedroom first. Have to put something away.”

“What is it?”

“Just something I bought.”

Rami tries to peek at the bag that Joe’s hiding inside his jacket. Joe realizes he should have left the ring in the car. This is all going very poorly.

“Can I see?”

“No,” Joe says quickly.

Rami looks up at him in confusion. “Is it for me?”

“Maybe?”Joe says.

“Well, then I can see it. You know I don’t like surprises,” he says.

He puts his computer off to the side and tries to reach for the bag. Joe manages to jump away from him. “Nope, it’s gonna stay a secret. Maybe you can wait for your birthday,” Joe teases.

“But that’s months away!” Rami complains.

“Too bad,” Joe says. He turns to go run into the bedroom before Rami can follow him.

But to his surprise, Rami tackles him from behind. They both fall to the ground in a tangle of limbs and surprised shouts. Rami ends up straddling Joe, grinning triumphantly when he pulls the bag from inside Joe’s coat.

“Got my present,” he says. 

“Rami, no…” Joe starts to say. 

But Rami’s already opening the bag and tipping the small velvet box out. He stares at it and then at Joe. 

“Is this….?”

Joe quickly takes the ring box from Rami. “I, uh, wanted it to go differently,” he says.

Rami keeps staring at him, eyes wide and mouth agape.

“But since you’re so certain you don’t like surprises, maybe this was for the best?” Joe opens the velvet box and the ring gleams in the afternoon sunlight.

“So, wanna marry me?”

Rami’s eyes are even wider now. Joe doesn’t think he’s ever seen him look so shocked.

“Yes? No? We can pretend this didn’t happen and I can propose somewhere more romantic.”

“Yes,” Rami says. “Fuck, yes, I thought you were never going to ask. I was getting ready to ask you!”

He grabs the ring from the box and looks at it reverently. On the inside of the band, Joe had them inscribe their first date and initials.

Rami slips it on his finger and smiles. “I love it.”

“I’m glad. Sami said you’d like it.”

“Bet he wasn’t too happy you dragged him out for this,” Rami says.

“Nope,” Joe says. “But it was totally worth it.”

Rami laughs and kisses him. Joe smiles so wide when he sees his ring on Rami’s finger.

Later that day, he takes a picture of Rami wearing his ring and sends a text to Sami. _Guess I didn’t need your help with a proposal after all. Asked him today. He said yes._

_Good. I didn’t want to help you plan some big proposal and talk you down from freaking out. Congrats, though._

Joe doesn’t reply, but he doesn’t tell Sami that Rami and Joe both intend to drag Sami into wedding preparations. He’ll give it a few months before bringing that up. He doesn’t want his new brother-in-law killing him just yet.


End file.
